Stand Beside You
by Zivandre
Summary: "I don't care if they will kill me for standing by you, for standing with the light! Don't you get it? I love you Hermione. If they try to kill you, they'll have to kill me first." Hermione battles to find Theo in the Battle of Hogwarts, hoping to find him before it's too late.


_**AN: This is writing for QLFC [Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition] I'm a seeker for the Kenmare Kestrels for Season 6.**_

 _ **Prompt: SEEKER: Write a pairing you've never written before [Hermione/Theo]**_

 _ **[WC: 1786]**_

 _ **~oOoOoOo~**_

Hermione rushed through the halls of Hogwarts castle. Her time was running out to find him, in order to make sure he was safe. Spells were firing off in all directions around her, but she paid them no mind. She had to find him.

She knew the Slytherins were lead down to the dungeons, locked away unfairly when they didn't even get any say. But she pushed on. Bodies were falling left and right, thudding heavily in the rubble that coated the ground.

Walls were caved in, windows shattered, and gaping holes were punctured through the floors. Sweat rolled down in beads on her forehead, dropping off the tip of her nose and the curve on her cheeks. She had a wayward gash crossing her forehead where the blood mingled with the sweat. Smoke singed her nose, curling it up in distaste. 

She pushed her hair back off of her face, pulling it up in a low ponytail. She only had two floors to go.

A masked Death Eater stepped out from an hidden alcove, shooting a dark purple curse towards her. Hastily, she reflected it. Frowning her face in concentration, she raised her own wand and began an onslaught of every curse, jinx, and hex she knew. The Death Eater - presumably male from his laugh - blocked most, as he pushed forwards green and red jets of what she presumed was the Avada Kedavra and the Cruciatus.

Finally, after what felt like ages, her stunner landed in the middle of her enemy's chest, causing him to slump heavily to the ground.

Shooting him with a binding Incarcerous, she ran towards the dungeons once more.

She knew they would be locked in the darker cages of the dungeons, so she ignored where the Slytherin Commons were and trudged down another floor.

Shouts were reaching her ears as she got to the end of the hallway. When she turned the corner, she saw them.

The only problem was she didn't know how she was going to get Theo out without letting the rest of them out as well. She didn't know who honestly was for them or against them.

Not coming to any viable solutions, she started unlocking the wards on the gate. Realizing that she was going to have to use brute force, she started yelling at the stoic Slytherins.

"Now, I don't know if I'm messing up here, or not. But you all need to trust me," began Hermione. "I need the strongest, and heaviest of you all to come up front. Now, I need you all to push and shove as hard as you can on the door - it needs brute force!"

Luckily, they realized that they would have to listen to her to get out, so they followed her orders. She could vaguely hear some grumbling in the back about following orders from a 'mudblood,' but she honestly didn't care.

After a moment of them all rushing towards the gate, it burst through. Immediately, all of the Slytherins started trickling through. Some ignored her on their way past, while others muttered a quick thanks before they were on their way. Finally, he stood before her.

"Hey…" she mumbled. He looked to have grown another inch. His brown hair fell forward into his icy blue eyes, and he had a few hints of bruises across his aristocratic cheeks. His lips were chapped, most presumably from chewing on thim - his nervous habit.

Slowly, his lips turned upwards in a genuine smile.

"I was so worried I had lost you," started Theo. "But my goodness, I'm so damn happy to see you. I thought you had died. When Draco told me that you were captured… Mi, it hurt so bad."

Tentatively, she leaned forward and grabbed the front of his robes. Hermione turned her face up to him, as she pulled him down to her. His lips brushed across hers, as he wrapped one hand around her waist and twirled the other in her hair. Their kiss deepened, tongues brushed, and teeth nipped. When they separated, her lips were swollen and his cheeks were tinged pink while the both of them were out of breath.

"Oh, Theo. I'm sorry. You know I had to do what needed to be done. I couldn't let Voldemort win," Hermione replied.

"Shush, I know. I don't want him around anymore than you do…" his voice trailed off, leaving the rest of his words unspoken. "Come on, we have some Death Eater scum to destroy."

Laughing, she hurried and grabbed hold of his free hand before pulling him back through the halls.

He didn't have a wand, so Hermione hurried and attacked the first Death Eater they came across. Almost immediately, they were slumped to the ground unconscious. Theo hurried over and swiped the dropped wand, before tying him up with the Incarcerous spell.

They rushed through the halls, dueling everyone that came in their way.

However, after hours of battle Lord Voldemorts voice rang clear through the grounds and the castle walls. They both shared looks of indignation and worry before making their way out to the courtyard.

Hermione saw Hagrid first, with ropes thrown around his neck and arms, while a limp figure laid in his arms. Death Eaters surrounded him, as some pushed their way through the crowds to their side. Voldemort stood pale and tall in the middle. His feet were bare and dirty and a cruel smile was plastered across his face.

When he spoke, his voice was high and menacing.

"Harry Potter has died at my hands! Potter tried running off, leaving the lot of you behind to face my fury," his smile grew wider as he spoke. "Harry Potter is a coward!"

Immediately, the Light side yelled back, refusing to believe what the Dark Lord was saying. Hermione couldn't believe it either, Harry can't have died! They all needed him… She vaguely felt Theo pull her into his side before her tears started down her face.

They were done. Theo would never be able to be with her, she knew she would die fighting. She would not become their prisoner to torture when they pleased.

She started pushing Theo away - she knew he would die if he stayed by her. She had to give him a fighting chance.

"Hermione, what are you doing?" asked Theo, worry tinted his voice, his eyes wet with unshed tears.

"You can't… Th-they'll kill you! You have to get away from me," argued Hermione. Her heart was breaking at her words, but she couldn't take them back. He had to see reason!

"Look at me!" he spoke harshly, causing Hermione's eyes to snap towards his. Her face was set, with only a slight tremble when she blinked. "I don't care if Harry is dead, well, okay I do. But you know what? We are all still here! We will finish this."

"I don't care if they will kill me for standing by you, for standing with the light! Don't you get it? I love you Hermione. If they try to kill you, they'll have to kill me first," Theo took a stuttering breath before continuing, raking his hand through his hair as he did so. "Look, a world without you in it, is not a world that I want to live in. You are my life, my future, you are my everything. I love you, Hermione Jean Granger. I'm staying with you."

Hermione stood there, gobsmacked at his speech in front of listening ears. Of course she knew he loved her, but to say it in front of everyone around them? She argued with herself, but ultimately, she knew he was right.

She would do the same if she was in his shoes.

"Oh Theo… You know I love you too," began Hermione, wringing her hands together. "I understand, I just wanted to help you save yourself."

"Come here," whispered Theo. When she obliged, he pulled her close, tucking her head in the crook of his neck. He rubbed her back soothingly. He could see Neville in the background, waving a bloody sword in the air.

Suddenly, the crowd gasped and shouted and cheered. Harry Potter fell forward from Hagrid's arms. Harry Potter was _alive._

In the blink of an eye, Harry was running towards Voldemort, before pushing him off the railing with himself.

Battle once again raged onwards, and he noticed some Death Eaters throwing off their robes and masks and fighting against their own. Theo couldn't believe it - they were switching sides! The cowards, the lot of them!

Pulling Hermione behind him, he started slinging his own spells towards the enemy that remained. They Dark forces started pushing them back inside the Castle, and they all let them. There was more cover inside anyway.

Bodies were dropping like flies, Bellatrix was yelling at Mrs. Weasley, Harry was back in the hall with Voldemort.

It felt like time slowed, duels stopped and in a collective move, they all turned to watch the main battle. He heard a shout from Bellatrix, before seeing her body combust in a fit of tattered fragments. As he turned back towards Voldemort and Harry, he saw a golden arch between their wands. Harry's side was tinted with red, while Voldemort's with green. Harry's side was pushing closer and closer towards the Dark Lords wand, before a shock of energy pushed him down on his knees.

Voldemort threw his head back in agony, letting one last yell tear out of his throat. His body crumbled to a pile of dust.

Harry did it. The Dark Lord was gone. They had _won._

 _ **~oOoOoOo~**_

It had been five years since the Battle of Hogwarts passed. Memories were cherished, monuments erected, and the cells of Azkaban filled. Hermione rolled over in their bed; her hair fell forwards in her face as a smile graced her lips.

Theo brushed her hair behind her ear, before pulling her closer. Her stomach pushed against his, letting him experience their unborn child kicking him.

Chuckling, Theo laid his hands across her swollen belly, rubbing large soothing circles across.

"You'll be a brilliant dad," whispered Hermione. She knew he had worries, especially where his own father had treated him horribly. But, he knew in time, with Hermione by his side, that she wouldn't let him waver or mistreat their children.

"You'll be an even better mum," he replied, before pressing his lips to hers. Before long, his hands started wandering, causing Hermione to smile into the kiss.

"You're incorrigible!" Hermione laughed, before letting herself get lost in the moment.

In the end, all was well. They would still have their rough spots, but together they would face them head on.

 _ **The End.**_


End file.
